The weekend and beyond

Some major headaches lie ahead this weekend, including the Orange Line being split into two so that crews can work on the Metro extension to Dulles and the closing of Route 123 at the Beltway for demolition of an old bridge. The Capital Weather Gang predicts that heat and humidity -- and a chance of showers -- will be building through the weekend. It should be a fine time to stay in and watch the World Cup.

[This post has been updated]

Francis Scott Key Bridge

Outbound travellers on the Key Bridge will experience temporary single lange closures during the day on Sunday as District officials perform an inspection on the bridge. The District Department of Transportation warns that delays are likely, but says it will suspend the lane closures if tie-ups become too lengthy.

Tysons Corner
The HOT lanes project and the Dulles Metrorail project, which come together in Tysons, are lining up some major moves this weekend.

Traffic on the Capital Beltway's outer loop has been shifted to a new bridge over Route 123 and the ramps have been adjusted. The old Beltway bridge is scheduled to be demolished. That will require the complete closing of Route 123 at the Beltway from 9:30 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday, June 14.

Traffic in and out of Tysons Corner will be detoured. Drivers leaving the shopping areas will be directed to Route 7. McLean traffic heading into Tysons will be directed to Georgetown Pike (Route 193). Expect delays navigating the Route 123 and I-495 interchange.

After the demolition of the old bridge, workers will start building a new one, as well as a HOT Lanes connection into Tysons Corner at the Westpark Drive bridge. Meanwhile, other crews will be working on the Dulles Metrorail guideway piers over the Beltway.

Red Line
Riders traveling between New York Avenue and Rhode Island stations should add at least 30 minutes to their travel time as Metro conducts maintenance on tracks that cross a bridge near the Rhode Island Avenue station. Trains traveling in both directions will share one track from 10 p.m. Friday through closing on Sunday.

Capital Pride Parade
The Capital Pride parade begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at 23rd and P streets NW, and there will be a street festival on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Pennsylvania Avenue between Third and Seventh streets NW.

Map of the street closingsThis section on the Capital Pride Parade was added after the initial posting in response to reader comments. Thanks for pointing out our oversight.

Interstate 66
An 18-month project to reduce congestion on Interstate 66 in Arlington County is scheduled to get underway next week.

The work will result in lane closures in a 1.9-mile stretch between Fairfax Drive and Sycamore Street. One of the two westbound lanes will be closed from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m., Sunday nights through Thursday nights during June and July; and then periodic lane closures will continue until the project is completed in December 2011. All lane closures will be at night; there will be no lane closures during the day, on weekends or on holidays.

MetroOrange Line service
There will be no Orange Line service between the East Falls Church and West Falls Church stations this weekend. The Dulles Metrorail project will be working on the first of a series of construction programs that by 2013 will connect the new rail line to the rest of the system.

Metro will operate free shuttle buses between the two stations on Saturday and Sunday, but riders should add at least half an hour to their travel times.

The service disruptions will begin on Friday nights. From 10 p.m. to the 3 a.m. Friday, trains will share a track between East Falls Church and Vienna. Riders traveling between the stations at those late-night hours should add at least 30 minutes to regular travel times. The last Orange Line train will leave Vienna at its regular time of 2:25 a.m.

This weekend, it would be best not to park at Vienna, Dunn Loring, or West Falls Church, the stations west of the disruption. One option is to drive east to Franconia-Springfield Station on the Blue Line or Huntington Station on the Yellow Line for the rail trip downtown.

Arlington
Arlington police will close several streets in Clarendon on Saturday from the 2010 CSC Invitational bicycle race. Closures will take place from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m., and street parking in the area will be restricted. If you're towed from a public street, call 703-228-4252. Here are the streets affected.
-- Wilson Boulevard from North 10th Street to North Edgewood Street
-- Clarendon Boulevard from Washington Boulevard to North Edgewood Street
-- Washington Boulevard from North 13th Street to North Highland Street
-- North Highland Street from Wilson Boulevard to Washington Boulevard
-- North Garfield Street and North Fillmore Street from Wilson Boulevard to Washington Boulevard

Rock Creek Parkway
More difficulties for drivers using Rock Creek Parkway: Through the end of August, work along the side of the parkway may require temporary closings of the southbound lanes and the adjacent trail just north of Q Street NW.

This will usually mean closing the right-most southbound lane only, but sometimes, both the southbound lanes could be shut. None of the closings would occur during rush hours.

Drivers will need to watch for flaggers directing traffic along the parkway. Trail users will need to look for signs directing them through the construction zone when a portion of the trail is temporarily diverted.

The National Park Service says the work is part of an effort to close sewer outflows and improve Rock Creek's water quality.

The area of the lane closings and trail diversions is between Georgetown and Dupont Circle. It's north of the zone disrupted by the Ohio Drive SW lane closings, though some drivers may encounter both during their trips.

H Street NE

Construction on the long-running streetscaping project shifts to the south side of the street between 3rd and 7th streets, away from the north side, where work is substantially complete during that stretch. Eastbound traffic will be in a single lane, and new signs, lights and barriers will greet travellers as of Friday, so be aware of the new traffic pattern when driving in on Hopscotch Bridge. The work will begin at 3rd and move to 7th, and mirror what was done on the opposite side: The installation of streetcar tracks and new pavement, sidewalks and streetlights.

For Tysons 2 and northern Tysons, the Toll Road might be a better detour than going to Georgetown Pike. The traffic signals on that bridge are not timed to allow everyone from 123 to turn around there. backups could be bad. To me, avoiding a major backup is worth 75 cents in tolls.

Also, for the Orange Line construction, there is parking available at East Falls Church and Ballston (the latter costs a dollar for parking, but is closer in so you would save a little on Metro fare potentially), so no need to take a long detour to Franconia Springfield if you don't want to.